Makita Drill Review

If I could only have one power tool, I would have no hesitation choosing which one it would be…a drill. No question.

Our drill makes an appearance in many of my projects, like this shelf I built for Cottages & Bungalows…

(Okay, my husband helped on that one.) …and you can see it in a couple of tutorials in Inspired You…

We had a nice drill, but after about six years of hard labor, the batteries weren’t holding their charge as well and the drill itself was getting a little tired. It was time for an update. We headed to our local True Value to see what they had. My husband is a major researcher when it comes to tool purchases, so he knew exactly what he wanted…

My husband handles most of the power tools, but I do use them as well, so I like it when I like them as much as he does. I instantly liked the Makita better than any drill I’ve used. First of all, it’s light and the grip is comfortable for a woman’s hand. I find a lot of power tools (even paint brushes and roller handles) to be pretty bulky for me, but this grip is perfect.

This is a simple thing, but I love that there is a light that activates when the trigger is squeezed. It’s nice to be able to see what you’re doing a little bit better.

Changing batteries in power tools usually involves squeezing the tool between my knees as I work at getting the battery off until I’m red in the face. It normally ends in me handing it over to my husband. I’m not exaggerating, either! (Maybe it’s because of my freakish double-jointed thumbs?) Anyway, I can easily change the battery on the Makita. It’s small, lightweight and doesn’t involve any knee-squeezing or husband-getting.

..and just like any other drill, you can change out the bits to do everything from drilling holes and driving screws to mixing paint or buffing a finish with special attachments. At $180, it’s pricey for someone who only uses a drill occasionally, but an excellent purchase for a DIY/wood working enthusiast.

I was one of the bloggers selected by True Value to work on the DIY Squad. I have been compensated for my time commitment to the program as well as my writing about my experience. I have also been compensated for the materials needed for my DIY project. However, my opinions are entirely my own and I have not been paid to publish positive comments.

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Comments

Thanks for the review! My husband’s drill is getting old and tired too. As soon as I saw a pic of this drill in your hand I could tell it was smaller and lighter than ours. I’ll def keep this in mind at Christmas!! And I agree, the drill is the most important tool in our garage!!!

I 150% (probably more,LOL) agree!! My husband is a commercial electrician and got this drill for work. He brought it home one day so I could use it for some project. I tell you that he almost didn’t get it back. He has the duo pack, a drill/driver and an impact driver. Both are awesome!! I cannot say enough good things about this drill! I even talked my mom into getting one. Makita rocked this!

I will agree that this drill is fantastic, and it is on the spendy side. With that said, this drill will last years and years unlike most others. I found a great price on a Drill/Driver/Flashlight combo set on Amazon if anyone is interested in picking one up for themselves. Disclaimer: I have no affiliation with the sellers of this item.

I also have the “impact” version of this drill. It should be noted the batteries are not as fantastic as they claim. Ours broke just after the year mark and they are VERY EXPENSIVE to replace IF you can even find a place that carries them.

I bought one for myself because my hubby somehow always needs his at the same time I do. As a matter of fact I have my own toolboxes, one for downstairs and one for upstairs. Sounds silly, but I always seem to need a tool when I’m upstairs and the box is downstairs so I saved myself some steps up and down those stairs. Both that I have are electric with 12 ” cords on them so I bought a 12′ extension cord for each one of them. Works for me.

Sweet drill. Looks like it means business in a classy Black Tie sort of way!
After unscrewing the hardware from knobs, handles and hinges to prep my mudroom cabinets for painting (and of course reverse that when done) my burning question is how HEAVY is it? Cordless drills are great but man can your girl traps and delts aches after doing overhead work!
This may be on my Christmas list since my mudroom turned out so great my entire kitchen cabs are next! Shout out to Ace’s Cabinet, Trim and Wall paint for that!

Just like you—my drill was ready for “retirement.” Last June I was standing in front of the drills ready to purchase that same Makita—until another customer intervened to tell me that he had the Makita AND a Milwaukee drill.
He said he’s in construction, and the drills get a lot of (ab)use. BOTH drills worked equally great, but the Milwaukee was about $25/30 less expensive, and has a battery status read out on the front. –So nice to know if you should change batteries before you head off to the OTHER side of the house or are using the drill at some other location.
I LUV Makita tools, but I opted for that “battery read out” feature–and the savings too! GREAT drill!
btw—only one tool—I couldn’t live without my compound miter saw! Susan/BNOTP wrote a fun post on our “can’t live w/o tools!”
Catherine
ps–can’t wait to get your book–big congrats, how very cool!

I laugh to think about the time when I was hanging curtains in my son’s bedroom when he was 4 or 5 years old. I was using a hammer from my toolbox. My son looked up at me and said, “Put down dad’s hammer.” I replied, “It’s not dad’s hammer, it’s my hammer!” He said, “I’m telling dad.” I had to laugh at my young male chauvinist. I still enjoy hardware stores and tools to this day. And, I don’t think my son has ever used a hammer!

Even with the “disclaimer” I do not like it when our ladies and gentlemen on Pinterest endorse any products – sorry if I step on any toes. Getting something FREE in my opinion just might encourage someone to say good things. I have had many drills over the years and can change the battery pack out myself maybe because I have no hubby and when something needs to be done – well, it’s just me.

Yes, I see what you’re saying, but this case is a little different. I was given money to spend at True Value on anything I wanted and my husband and I chose this drill. So, I did get the drill for free, but I chose it. Does that make sense?

I bought one of these for my fiance’s birthday. Yeah right, who am I kidding – it was really for me!!!
I love that it fits my small hands easily, is light weight and has power to spare!!
(I walked around the store hugging it too!)

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